Blatter and Platini banned by FIFA for eight years

ZURICH - FIFA President Sepp Blatter and European soccer boss Michel Platini were both banned from soccer for eight years on Monday for ethics violations, leaving the global game leaderless as it fights a swirl of corruption cases.

The pair, who were also fined, had been suspended in October while an investigation was carried out into a 2 million Swiss franc ($2.02 million) payment that soccer's global governing body made to Platini in 2011, with Blatter's approval.

The decision means that Blatter's 17 years at the helm of world soccer will end in disgrace, and spells the end of Platini's hopes of replacing the 79-year-old Swiss in a presidential election in February.


 FIFA's Ethics Committee said it had not found evidence that the payment, made at a time when Blatter was seeking re-election, constituted a bribe, but that it had nevertheless lacked transparency and presented a conflict of interest.

This meant the men were spared potential life bans. Both have denied any wrongdoing and are almost certain to challenge the decision in FIFA's Appeals Committee and, if necessary, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"The evidence available to the adjudicatory chamber in the present case was not sufficient to establish, to the extent required, that Mr Blatter sought the execution or omission of an official act from Mr Platini," said a statement, referring to the 'bribery and corruption' section of the code.

But the committee's adjudicatory chamber did find that the payment had been "without a legal basis" and a breach of regulations governing gifts and other benefits.

ABUSE OF POSITIONS

It said Blatter "found himself in a situation of conflict of interest, despite which he continued to perform his related duties, failing to disclose said situation and the existence of personal interests linked to his prospective activities".

"By failing to place FIFA's interests first and abstain from doing anything which could be contrary to FIFA's interests, Mr Blatter violated his fiduciary duty to FIFA," it added.

The chamber concluded that Blatter's actions ultimately demonstrated "an abusive execution of his position as President of FIFA".

It also said Platini's argument that there had been an oral agreement for the payment had not been convincing, and that he, too, had abused his position as a FIFA vice-president and Executive Committee member.

"Mr Platini failed to act with complete credibility and integrity, showing unawareness of the importance of his duties and concomitant obligations and responsibilities," it said.

Blatter was fined 50,000 Swiss francs and Platini 80,000.

The ethics inquiry began in the wake of the Swiss attorney general's decision to open criminal proceedings against Blatter over the payment to Platini. The office is also investigating FIFA's award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals to Russia and Qatar.

In the United States, prosecutors have indicted 27 current or former soccer officials, including eight former FIFA executive committee members and the current heads of both the North and South American federations, over allegations that they ran bribery schemes connected to the sale of television rights for soccer competitions. Twelve people and two sports marketing companies have been convicted.

($1 = 0.9925 Swiss francs)

(Reporting By Simon Evans; Editing by Michael Shields and Kevin Liffey)

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FIFA's leaders meet amidst latest scandal storm

FIFA's executive committee were gathering on Tuesday as acting president Issa Hayatou attempts to steer football's embattled governing body through the latest storm of scandals to blight their Zurich headquarters.

The extraordinary meeting was announced on October 9 after FIFA's ethics committee suspended president Sepp Blatter, secretary general Jerome Valcke, and Michel Platini for 90 days from all football-related activities.

The trio are all banned from attending what will be the first executive committee meeting held without Blatter's presence for 40 years and Hayatou sees restoring public trust as a matter of priority.

Cameroon's Hayatou takes charge of FIFA's helm amidst the worst scandals in the organisation's 111-year history and it will be far from business as usual.

"It’s certainly an unprecedented situation for FIFA," said the 69-year-old.

"But we remain focused on the necessary reform process, the presidential election and on supporting the current investigations.

"To restore public trust is a crucial objective. It is essential that FIFA carries on its mission of developing the game and staging international tournaments."

On the agenda, the executive committee will hear the first recommendations from FIFA's reform committee, tasked with suggesting changes within FIFA's corridors of power, with the aims of restoring it's badly tarnished credibility.

The increased need for transparency on renumeration is poised to be discussed, but the backdrop to the meeting remains the power struggle ahead of the FIFA presidential election on February 26 at next year's extraordinary congress.

FIFA's leaders meet in Zurich with the organisation under-fire from all sides.

After several key sponsors called for Blatter to resign, FIFA took the unprecedented step of suspending it's president based on suspicions a two million Swiss franc ($2 million, 1.8 million euros) payment made by Blatter to Platini in 2011 was not above board.

Neither have explained the reason for the nine-year delay in payment for work Platini carried out as Blatter’s technical advisor from 1999 to 2002.

Platini, president of European football's governing body UEFA, had been seen as favourite to replace Blatter as FIFA president in next year's elections until he was named in a Swiss criminal investigation into Blatter's management of FIFA.

Swiss investigators are also looking into FIFA's awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar in a bribery scandal which has seen 14 people arrested by American and Swiss authorities.

Seven former FIFA officials were arrested by Swiss authorities in May as the United States attempts to have them extradited to face charges of accepting bribes.

Over the weekend, allegations of cash-for-votes by magazine Der Spiegel has drawn the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany into question and the German Football Association (DFB) has strenuously denied any wrong-doing.

Then on Monday, Platini admitted he had no written contract for the two million Swiss franc payment by Blatter, but had a "man-to-man agreement" as his chances of replacing the Swiss veteran as head of the world body nosedived.

Platini told French newspaper Le Monde he felt Blatter was seeking to "kill me politically" over the contested payment and says he feels "shame at being dragged through the mud".

The Frenchman believes he is "the only one who can ensure that FIFA again becomes the home of football".

So far, only two candidates have officially submitted applications to stand as FIFA president: Platini and Jordan's Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who pushed Blatter to a second round of voting in May's election.

Possible other runners include South Africa's Tokyo Sexwale, a former cellmate of Nelson Mandela, and Jerome Champagne, the former deputy secretary general of FIFA.

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FIFA chief Blatter faces criminal probe, cloud over Platini

Embattled Sepp Blatter was urged to stand down as FIFA president on Saturday after he was placed under a criminal investigation as his heir-apparent Michel Platini also came under scrutiny over a murky multi-million-dollar payment.

In a dramatic escalation of the corruption scandal engulfing world football Swiss investigators accompanied by Swiss police swept into FIFA's headquarters on Friday as their attention turned to Blatter and Platini.

"Swiss criminal proceedings against the President of FIFA, Mr. Joseph Blatter, have been opened on September 24, 2015 on suspicion of criminal mismanagement...and - alternatively - misappropriation," said a statement from Switzerland's attorney general's office (OAG).

 This stunning development came after months of probes following raids in Zurich which led to the indictment of more than a dozen top officials.

Swiss prosecutors said Blatter was being investigated over the 2005 sale of World Cup television rights to the Caribbean Football Union, then run by his former ally Jack Warner, a deal which had been "unfavourable for FIFA".

Blatter was also suspected of a "disloyal payment" of two million dollars to Platini in February 2011 allegedly made for work the Frenchman carried out for FIFA between 1999 and 2002, before he was elected head of UEFA.

Saturday's headlines in the Swiss press made uncomfortable reading for the beleaguered Blatter.

"Blatter should go as quickly as possible" was the blunt advice given to the 79-year-old football strongman by Neue Zurcher Zeitung.

"It is imperative that he now at least quickly abandons ship," the daily suggested in an editorial.

Blick's front page headline was bleaker: "Blatter risks jail....Twilight years behind bars?"

 - Platini blow -

Swiss authorities said Blatter was questioned as "a suspect", while Platini had been quizzed "as a person called upon to give information".

Blatter's lawyer Richard Cullen stressed that the FIFA boss was cooperating with Swiss authorities and that a review of the evidence would show "no mismanagement occurred".

Platini defended the payment he received in 2011, made three months before the Frenchman announced he would not challenge Blatter for re-election during that year's race for the FIFA presidency.

"Concerning the payment that was made to me, I wish to state that this amount relates to work which I carried out under a contract with FIFA," said the UEFA boss.

"I was pleased to have been able to clarify all matters relating to this with the authorities."

But he offered no explanation as to why the payment had arrived almost a decade after the work had been completed.

However, a former FIFA insider, who requested anonymity, told AFP that Platini's hopes of being elected to replace Blatter next year had been damaged by Friday's revelations.

"Platini took a serious blow" by even being mentioned in the Swiss statement, the source told AFP.

Blatter "is finished now ... Platini will struggle to recover from being questioned".

Friday's turn of events came after a press conference that Blatter was scheduled to give was suddenly cancelled.

Platini is a former Blatter ally who turned against the veteran Swiss sports baron over the past 18 months as FIFA's troubles mounted.

The investigation is also into Blatter's links with Warner, a former FIFA vice-president now at the centre of a US investigation.

 - 'Unfavourable to FIFA' -

The attorney general said Blatter was suspected of making a deal "unfavourable to FIFA" with the Caribbean Football Union, which Warner used as his power base.

A Trinidad court on Friday announced it would rule on December 2 on whether Warner should be extradited to the United States.

Warner is one of 14 soccer officials and business executives charged by US prosecutors of involvement in more than $150 million in bribes for football broadcasting and marketing deals.

Nearly all of the suspects are from central and South America. Until recent days, FIFA's top leadership had escaped accusations flying around the world body, which earns $5 billion from the World Cup.

Swiss officials arrested seven FIFA officials, who are among the US suspects, on May 27 in Zurich just ahead of the world body's congress.

Blatter was re-elected to a fifth term at the congress despite the storm but then announced on June 4 that he would stand down.

Since then, FIFA has announced steps to make reforms but has been shaken by new corruption claims.

FIFA this month suspended Blatter's right-hand man Jerome Valcke after he was accused of involvement in an accord to sell tickets for the 2014 World Cup at inflated prices.

Valcke strongly denied the allegations but FIFA handed over emails from the suspended secretary general that had been demanded by the Swiss attorney general.

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FIFA reels as Valcke suspended in fresh blow

FIFA reeled from fresh scandal as Secretary General Jerome Valcke was dramatically suspended over allegations of involvement in a ticketing scam and placed under investigation.

Valcke, the right-hand man of outgoing FIFA President Sepp Blatter, was immediately relieved of his duties as the latest wave of sleaze crashed into world football's governing body.

Switzerland, meanwhile, ruled on Thursday that a former FIFA vice-president should be extradited to the US in a corruption probe, the first suspect facing a forced transfer over the graft allegations that have shaken world football.

Valcke "has been put on leave and released from his duties effective immediately until further notice," said a FIFA statement.

"Further, FIFA has been made aware of a series of allegations involving the secretary general and has requested a formal investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee."

The 54-year-old French official had already been forced to deny involvement in a $10 million payment to South Africa in the wake of corruption allegations that forced Blatter's resignation earlier this year.

The latest claims against Valcke related to accusations of involvement in a scam to sell World Cup tickets at vastly inflated prices and take a slice of the profits.

The claims were made by Benny Alon, an American-Israeli consultant at a company which had a deal with FIFA to sell tickets at the 2014 World Cup. The contract was subsequently cancelled.

In a strongly-worded statement issued by Valcke's US-based attorney, the official decried the allegations as false.

"Jerome Valcke unequivocally denies the fabricated and outrageous accusations by Benny Alon of alleged wrongdoing in connection with the sale of World Cup tickets," the statement from New York attorney Barry Berke said.

The statement said Valcke "never received or agreed to accept any money or anything else of value from Mr Alon".

All dealings between Valcke and Alon's company had been cleared by FIFA's legal department, the statement added.

- Corruption scandal -

FIFA have been embroiled in a major corruption scandal since the arrest of seven of its officials attending a FIFA congress in May in Zurich to elect a new president.

They are among 14 people charged by US authorities over more than $150 million in bribes given for television and marketing deals.

Despite the arrests, the election went ahead with Blatter winning a fifth mandate although the 79-year-old then announced he would be standing down with a new election scheduled for February.

In the latest step in the probe, Switzerland ruled that former FIFA vice-president Eugenio Figueredo should be extradited to the United States.

Figueredo, a Uruguayan national, has been charged by the US justice department with using his influence to solicit millions of dollars in bribes from sports marketing firms. He was among the seven FIFA officials arrested in May.

One of those arrested, Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands, agreed to extradition and was sent to the US in July, but the remaining six had challenged a transfer to American courts.

Valcke came under scrutiny in recent months over what he knew about a $10 million payment from the South African FA to an account controlled by Jack Warner, the then North and Central American (CONCACAF) football chief, through FIFA in 2008.

US investigators believe the money was a bribe in return for backing South Africa getting the 2010 World Cup.

FIFA has insisted it only acted as an intermediary between South Africa and former FIFA vice-president Warner, who quit world football's governing body and his other functions in 2011 over other corruption allegations.

Valcke has found himself under scrutiny during his FIFA career.

In 2006 he was forced to step down as the football body's director of marketing after a New York court judged he had lied by negotiating FIFA deals with Visa in breach of existing contracts with Mastercard.

FIFA was later fined $60 million over the case, but Valcke re-emerged unscathed when he was installed as secretary general in June 2007.

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I will be appreciated when I've gone, says Blatter

ZURICH - Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes his critics will realize they have been wrong and will recognize his achievements once he has left soccer's world governing body.

In an interview with the BBC, the 79-year-old Swiss defended his record at the head of scandal-plagued FIFA and said he was respected in many parts of the world.

Blatter noted he was often subjected to hostile treatment on social media but said: "Go to the world, go to Asia, go to Africa... go to China, ask them what they think about FIFA and Blatter, that's different.

"At least (I am) respected because I have done a lot. Not only me but FIFA has done a lot and I have served this FIFA. I am sure this will be recognised, that the big job that has been done by FIFA and by myself... (over) 40 years.

"I am sure people are realising that the job I have done in FIFA is a good job, it's the right job for the development of football, the right job for education of youth," he added.

"If there are people who don't like the organisation or don't like me, they will realise they have been wrong... they will realise that."

Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term on May 29 but four days later announced he would lay down his mandate as FIFA was engulfed in the worst crisis in its 111-year history.

FIFA was thrown into turmoil when 14 sports marketing executives and soccer officials, including several from FIFA, were indicted in the United States in late May on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges involving more than $150 million in payments.

Seven of those accused were arrested by Swiss police in a dawn raid on a luxury Zurich hotel two days before the FIFA Congress where Blatter was re-elected.

Blatter's replacement is due to be elected at an extraordinary Congress on Feb. 26.

Blatter, often looking uncomfortable during the 20-minute interview at FIFA headquarters, reiterated that it was individuals rather than FIFA who were under investigation.

"The institution is not corrupt... there is no corruption in football, there is corruption with individuals," he said.

He also repeated his criticism of the method for choosing the FIFA executive committee, whose members are elected by the continental confederations rather than the FIFA Congress.

"I have to take people, they are not my people," he said. "I cannot be morally responsible for other people."

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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PFF 'surprised' by Blatter's resignation

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) on Wednesday said it was "surprised" by Sepp Blatter's decision to resign from his post as FIFA president, but nevertheless said it was "a courageous decision."

The 79-year-old Blatter, just four days after being re-elected to a fifth term as FIFA president, announced on Tuesday that he would step down, in the wake of a corruption investigation that has rocked the organization.

"We are surprised by the decision of FIFA president Joseph Blatter to lay down his mandate," the PFF said in a statement. "We believe he made a courageous decision in the greater interest of the sport of football."

"We thank him for his spirited efforts for meaningful football development programs in all FIFA member associations," the PFF added.

Blatter visited the Philippines in November 30, 2014, and spearheaded the groundbreaking ceremony of the FIFA Goal Project III at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park in Carmona, Cavite.

The PFF said it now joins "all football stakeholders in moving forward."

"The situation offers a big opportunity to continue and intensify the reforms that have been started. Indeed, deliberate focus on more governance reform and transparency is now called for," it added.

Blatter, who has been FIFA president since 1998, is also being investigated by U.S. prosecutors and the FBI, but has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

His decision to step down was welcomed by the English FA and New Zealand FA, among other FIFA Member Associations.

"This has lifted a cloud and taken away a lot of the concerns of stakeholders and their association with the sport," New Zealand Football chief executive Andy Martin told Reuters. "We now want a strong, collaborative leader who can bring the football world together and can bring out the change that the game has been crying out for."

The Asian Football Confederation, a staunch ally of Blatter, said on Wednesday that it was monitoring the situation and would discuss internally the "best way forward for both FIFA and world football." -- With Reuters

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Mandela's death resonates in world of sports

WASHINGTON - Boxing great Muhammad Ali saluted the legacy of Nelson Mandela Thursday, saying the revered icon of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle "taught us forgiveness on a grand scale."

Ali's was just one of the tributes that poured in from the world of sport in the wake of Mandela's death at the age of 95.

Ali, the former heavyweight world champion who himself became a beloved civil rights campaigner, said he was "deeply saddened" by Mandela's death.

"His was a life filled with purpose and hope; hope for himself, his country and the world," Ali said. "He inspired others to reach for what appeared to be impossible and moved them to break through the barriers that held them hostage mentally, physically, socially and economically. He made us realize, we are our brother's keeper and that our brothers come in all colors."

"What I will remember most about Mr. Mandela is that he was a man whose heart, soul and spirit could not be contained or restrained by racial and economic injustices, metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge. He taught us forgiveness on a grand scale. His was a spirit born free, destined to soar above the rainbows. Today his spirit is soaring through the heavens. He is now forever free."

World football chief Sepp Blatter, in Brazil on the eve of the draw for the 2014 World Cup, called Mandela "one of the greatest humanists of our time and a dear friend of mine."

Blatter paid warm personal tribute to Mandela, who famously embraced South Africa's predominantly white rugby team after they won the 1995 World Cup on home soil in a poignant moment of racial reconciliation.

"He and I shared an unwavering belief in the extraordinary power of football (and sport generally) to unite people in peace and friendship, and to teach basic social and educational values as a school of life," said Blatter.

Golf great Tiger Woods recalled meeting Mandela in 1998, the year after his first Masters triumph.

Woods was playing a tournament in South Africa, and he and his father, Earl, were invited to lunch at Mandela's home.

"It was one of the most inspiring times I've ever had in my life," said Woods, who also marveled at Mandela's capacity for forgiveness and ability to forge reconciliation after two decades in prison.

"I don't think any of us probably here could have survived that and come out as humble and as dignified as he did. To lead an entire nation and to basically love the world when he came out, I think that's a testament to his will and his spirit and who he was."

Another golf great, South Africa's own Gary Player, tweeted his respects.

"Condolences to all on the passing of our beloved Father of the South African Nation, Nelson Mandela. Madiba we loved you. Rest in Peace," Player said on Twitter.

Portugal football captain Cristiano Ronaldo posted a picture on his Facebook page of himself with Mandela, taken at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"Thankyou Madiba for your legacy and your example," he wrote. "You'll always stay with us."

"We have lost a true gentleman and a courageous human being. It was truly an honor to have known a man who had genuine love for so many people," said former England football captain David Beckham.

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